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Chain consumption of Kentish Town Independent Cafe causes devestation

A Kentish Town couple who operate two of the four independent cafes on Hampstead Heath have said they are “devastated” after learning the sites are to be handed to a single operator. The City of London Corporation cafe takeover will see the venues transferred to Australian-inspired chain Daisy Green from spring 2026.

The City of London Corporation, which owns the land, has selected Daisy Green to run cafes at Queen’s Park, Golders Hill Park, Parliament Hill Lido and Parliament Hill Fields. The decision has prompted strong reactions locally, with campaigners describing widespread “outrage” and pointing to opposition from regular customers including actor Benedict Cumberbatch.

Patrick Matthews and Emma Fernandez currently run the cafes at Parliament Hill Lido and Queen’s Park, alongside another site in Highgate Wood that may also be affected. They have managed the Hampstead Heath Lido cafe for a decade, serving a customer base that includes Cumberbatch and actor James McAvoy.

Ms Fernandez, 49, said she is “devastated” by the outcome. “We created a real community hub. The City of London Corporation are just destroying this fabric which is holding together the community.” She said the cafe has functioned as more than a commercial venture, hosting community events such as children’s puppet shows and providing free exhibition space for local artists.

The City of London Corporation cafe takeover has also raised concerns about employment. Across their three cafes, the couple employ around 50 staff during the summer months and about 30 in winter. Ms Fernandez said: “Honestly, I have no idea what I’m going to do. It’s the one thing that I love to do, that I know how to do, and I feel so rooted here.”

Their children, Selene, 11, and Esmee, nine, are regular presences at the cafe, particularly during school holidays. “It’s horrible for them,” Ms Fernandez said. “They were born here, they were brought up here. It’s like a family here, they know the customers, they know the (lido) staff. When I ask them what they want to do later in life, they always say ‘I want to work at the lido with you’. Now it’s all shattered.”

She added: “We’re not here trying to make money. We’re here because we love it and we work with our hearts.”

Mr Matthews, 72, said he had assumed they would retain the Lido Cafe. “I thought it was inconceivable that we wouldn’t get the Lido Cafe. It’s natural justice – we took it from nothing, and we made something that wasn’t there beforehand. We feel that we’ve created something and now someone else is going to enjoy whatever financial benefit there is from it. We took the risk, they’ve got the reward.”

Regular visitors have echoed those concerns. Kate Orr, 56, from Camden, said: “There are a lot of people who come here who are really struggling with their mental health or are lonely, or who don’t quite fit in in the world, or who don’t have much money. This is the most tolerant and inclusive place … This is the strongest sense of community I’ve had in my 56 years by a long way. The cafe is genuinely part of that community.”

Affordability has also been highlighted. “You need a cafe that’s affordable,” said Imogen West, 56, from Hampstead Heath. “You can get a really good meal for £10.50, where else can you get that? This area is a real mix of people who do have money and people who don’t. This place serves all of those people. It’s more than a job (for Mr Williams and Ms Fernandez) – it’s a way of life.”

On Friday, all current operators were informed they would need to vacate their premises by the end of January. This includes the Italian cafe at Parliament Hill Fields, run by the D’Auria family for 45 years. The City of London Corporation cafe takeover will therefore bring an end to several long-standing family-run businesses.

The City of London Corporation said Daisy Green will deliver “upgraded menus, improved facilities and welcoming spaces”, while committing to affordability, sustainability and working with local suppliers.

Journalist Stefan Simanowitz, 49, said he remains outraged by the decision and intends to continue campaigning. He led a “save our cafes” campaign that gathered more than 20,000 petition signatures and received backing from Cumberbatch, McAvoy and actor Stephen Campbell Moore.

Following Friday’s announcement, Cumberbatch said: “We are deeply concerned by the decision to award a contract to a high-end chain. It is a massive oversight to forget the importance of family run cafes who are integral to the fabric of our community. We cannot let this happen.”

A previous attempt to retender the Parliament Hill Cafe in 2016 was abandoned after protests, when coffee chain Benugo withdrew amid opposition supported by Sir Keir Starmer, then MP for Holborn and St Pancras and now Prime Minister. Mr Simanowitz said he hopes Daisy Green might take a similar step.

Prue Freeman, co-founder of Daisy Green, said the company is “delighted” to have been selected. “As an independent London-based business, we are proud of our long-standing support of local suppliers and charities, providing family-friendly activities, and running environmentally responsible operations. We want these cafes to remain welcoming spaces where everyone feels included and connected to these very special spaces.”

Ho-ho-home for Christmas: LNER Shares Festive Travel Advice Amidst the Rush

LNER is urging passengers to plan ahead this Christmas as the rail operator prepares for one of its busiest periods of the year, with nearly half a million journeys expected over the festive break.

Between 22 December 2025 and 4 January 2026, around 474,300 bookings have already been made on LNER services, with Saturday 27 December forecast to be the busiest day so far, carrying more than 66,000 passengers.

With stations and trains set to be busier than usual, customers are advised to arrive in good time, particularly as train doors can close up to two minutes before departure. Passengers booking directly with LNER can also opt in to live platform and seat notifications via the LNER Assistant, designed to ease last-minute travel stress.

To help journeys run smoothly, LNER is encouraging travellers to reserve seats where possible, pack only what they can comfortably carry, and make use of Passenger Assistance if extra support is needed. Customers can also sign up to the LNER Perks loyalty scheme, receiving £5 credit on joining and earning 2% back on future bookings made directly with the operator.

Colette Casey, Customer Experience Director at LNER, said:

“We’ve been working hard behind the scenes at LNER to make sure we keep our customers on the move over the festive period, and spread some Christmas cheer along the way too.

“We also hope that our Christmas onboard offerings, including our new festive menu and the Christmas edition of our Routes podcast, make that journey home extra special – there’s plenty to keep younger travellers entertained as well.”

Families travelling with children can take advantage of LNER Family Lounges in Edinburgh, York and London King’s Cross, while onboard entertainment includes a festive edition of the LNER Kids Club podcast and seasonal activity books.

Passengers travelling First Class will be offered a Festive Menu featuring seasonal dishes sourced from suppliers along the East Coast route. Those in Standard Class can order refreshments directly to their seat through the ‘Let’s Eat At Your Seat’ service.

While there is no planned engineering work affecting the East Coast route over Christmas, disruption on the West Coast Main Line and the Leeds to York route may affect other operators. Travellers are advised to check National Rail Enquiries for the latest journey updates before setting off.

Fulham and Forest Meet with Little Margin for Error

Fulham welcome Nottingham Forest to Craven Cottage on Monday 22 December (8pm GMT) in what feels like a momentum fixture for two sides still trying to put daylight between themselves and the bottom end. The table is tight enough that a good run can lift you quickly — but a couple of poor weeks can drag you right back into the noise.

Fulham’s last match in any competition was their 2–1 Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat at Newcastle on 17 December, a game that looked set for penalties until a late Newcastle winner. In the league, Fulham’s most recent outing was the 3–2 win at Burnley on 13 December, where Harry Wilson had a major hand in all three goals.

Forest arrive with a very different most-recent result. Their last match in any competition was the 3–0 Premier League win over Tottenham on 14 December, driven by a brace from Callum Hudson-Odoi and a late third. Before that, they were away in Europe, beating FC Utrecht 2–1 in the Europa League on 11 December thanks to a late winner.

Selection will be shaped not just by injuries, but by the Africa Cup of Nations call-ups, which are already impacting Premier League squads. Fulham have been linked with three AFCON absentees: Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze (all Nigeria). Forest are also set to be without two players listed as AFCON-bound: Ibrahim Sangaré and Willy Boly. (Beyond those, any additional knocks or late fitness calls are best treated as matchday decisions unless confirmed by the clubs.)

On the pitch, Fulham’s best moments this season have tended to come when they keep their structure, get runners into wide areas early and make set pieces count — especially at home, where they can build pressure in waves. Forest, under Sean Dyche, have shown they can be disciplined without the ball and dangerous when they break, and the Spurs result was a reminder of how quickly they can punish mistakes when the game opens up.

This one could hinge on who controls the middle of the game. Fulham will want to set the rhythm and force Forest into long defensive spells; Forest will aim to keep it compact, survive the early phases and turn transitions into genuine chances. With AFCON absences thinning options on both sides, the details — second balls, set-piece defending, and composure in the final third — may matter more than usual.

Calling out the Dark Side of the Game: Inside Football’s New Safety App

Football has always been intense. Rivalry, noise and loyalty are part of its culture. But in an age shaped by online extremism, polarisation and increasingly unfiltered abuse, that intensity can tip into something more corrosive – behaviour that begins to push people away from the game.

The Football Safety App was developed in response to that shift. Its purpose is straightforward: to give fans, players and staff a practical way to report discrimination, abuse and safety concerns wherever they occur – in stadiums, on public transport, online, or in the spaces around matchday.

As Emile Heskey, Director of the Football Safety App, puts it:

“It’s time we all take responsibility – to stand up, speak out, and protect the sport that unites us all.”

From Reporting to Response

Unlike generic reporting platforms, the Football Safety App is built specifically for football. Users can report racism, offensive language, physical abuse, online hate crime, travel-related harassment and wider safety concerns through a single, accessible interface. Reports are routed to a central hub of trained professionals who work directly with clubs, stadium teams and police where appropriate. The objective is not simply to record incidents, but to enable timely, proportionate responses.

More than 5,000 reports of online abuse have already been submitted, alongside an 18% increase in reported match incidents. Rather than indicating rising disorder, the figures suggest growing confidence that reporting leads to action. With 11.8 million players and 55 million fans across the UK, football remains one of the country’s most visible shared spaces. What happens within it carries weight far beyond the final whistle.

Why This Became Personal

Support from the Premier League has helped establish the Football Safety App as a credible safeguard across both the professional and grassroots game. But its authority is shaped just as much by personal experience.

Heskey has spoken openly about how abuse followed him throughout his playing career, long before social media amplified its reach. What has changed, he argues, is how unavoidable it has become – no longer confined to stadiums or headlines, but reaching into homes, phones and family life.

That reality has shaped his perspective as a parent. Heskey has said that the environment around the modern game became so normalised that he never actively encouraged his own children to pursue professional careers – not because of football itself, but because of what increasingly surrounds it.

“Football has given me everything – a career, friendships, unforgettable memories,” he says.

“But it’s also shown me how damaging abuse, especially online, can be for players, fans and families.”

That concern extends beyond elite players. Matchday travel, in particular, has become an overlooked flashpoint, where abuse often spills into public transport and affects families, commuters and staff with no connection to the game itself.

The operational value of the app is understood by those responsible for managing safety on the ground. Kul, Director of Safeguarding for the Football Safety App, spent more than three decades in policing, including serving as a Football Match Commander.

“In my 32 years in policing, football was a constant,” he says.

“I saw first-hand how the actions of a small minority affected the majority.”

From an operational perspective, he argues that real-time intelligence from supporters and on-the-ground staff could significantly improve decision-making.

“An app providing live information would have informed deployment and intervention far more effectively,” he explains.

“That’s why I see the Football Safety App as one of the most meaningful changes to football policing in recent years.”

Accountability Without Policing the Stands

Crucially, the app does not attempt to suppress football’s competitive edge. It draws a clear distinction between rivalry – which the game depends on – and abuse, which it does not. Users are provided with guidance on where that line sits, removing ambiguity and lowering the barrier to speaking up.

Supporters are not asked to confront one another. Responsibility is shifted away from those on the receiving end of abuse and placed on the behaviour itself.

“The Football Safety App isn’t about silencing rivalry,” Heskey says.

“It’s about restoring respect. We want accountability for those who use football as a platform for hate, and protection for those who simply love the game.”

The app does not claim to solve football’s cultural problems on its own. Instead, it provides the infrastructure that accountability requires – making it easier to report abuse than to ignore it.

By linking real-time reporting with professional oversight and enforcement, the Football Safety App turns concern into action. In doing so, it reinforces a simple idea: football should remain a space people want to be part of.

Learn more about the Football Safety App here.

Leeds 4-1 Crystal Palace: Calvert-Lewin brace powers dominant Elland Road victory

Leeds United delivered a ruthless display at Elland Road to sweep aside Crystal Palace 4-1, easing their relegation fears and compounding a miserable spell for the visitors. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was once again the central figure, striking twice before the interval to continue a remarkable scoring run and put his side firmly in control.

Palace arrived in West Yorkshire already bruised by recent setbacks and were unable to cope with Leeds’ intensity from the outset. Daniel Farke’s side played with urgency and physical edge, pinning Palace back and repeatedly profiting from set-piece situations that exposed defensive uncertainty.

Calvert-Lewin opened the scoring by reacting quickest after his initial effort was blocked, turning in from close range following a long throw. His second came just before the break, as he anticipated another flick-on and steered a header beyond Dean Henderson at the back post, underlining his sharpness and confidence in the penalty area.

Any hopes of a response after half-time quickly faded. Palace struggled to gain control or win duels, and Leeds continued to apply pressure. That dominance told again shortly after the hour when a poorly dealt-with corner was recycled into the box and Ethan Ampadu slipped in to calmly add a third.

Leeds’ night was almost perfect, though a clean sheet again proved elusive. In stoppage time, Palace were handed a consolation from the penalty spot after Lucas Perri brought down Christantus Uche, allowing Justin Devenny to convert. There was still time for one final flourish, however, as Anton Stach rifled home an excellent free-kick with virtually the last action to complete an emphatic scoreline.

The result lifts Leeds six points clear of the bottom three and marks one of their most convincing performances since returning to the top flight. For Palace, it was another sobering evening, with defensive frailties and a lack of physical presence laid bare during a demanding period of fixtures.

Calvert-Lewin’s resurgence continues to gather momentum, while Leeds’ blend of organisation, aggression and set-piece threat made this a night to remember for the home supporters — and one Crystal Palace will be keen to forget.

Tottenham 1-2 Liverpool: Reds cling on at nine-man Spurs after late Richarlison scare

Liverpool held their nerve to escape north London with a 2-1 victory over Tottenham in a night that descended into chaos, as Spurs finished with nine men and pushed the visitors to the brink in a frantic finale.

The match initially appeared to be tilting firmly Liverpool’s way. An early red card for Xavi Simons, shown after a VAR review for a studs-up challenge on Virgil van Dijk, left Tottenham facing an uphill task before the break. Liverpool took advantage, with Alexander Isak firing home after linking with Florian Wirtz, only for the striker to limp off shortly afterwards following a knock to his ankle.

Despite Spurs’ numerical disadvantage, the contest never fully settled. Tottenham threatened an equaliser when Randal Kolo Muani’s deflected effort looped over Alisson and struck the crossbar, briefly lifting the home crowd. That moment passed, and Liverpool strengthened their grip on the game when Hugo Ekitike powered in a header to double the lead.

What followed, though, was far from comfortable. Memories of Liverpool’s recent failure to close out games resurfaced as Spurs refused to fold. With time running out, Richarlison punished a defensive lapse by Van Dijk to reduce the deficit and ignite belief around the stadium. Within moments, the Brazilian went close to striking again, only for Ibrahima Konate to throw himself in the way of a goalbound effort.

The tension escalated further in stoppage time when Cristian Romero was dismissed for kicking out at Konate during a heated exchange, leaving Spurs with nine players as they chased an unlikely equaliser. Even then, Liverpool were not safe, with Wilson Odobert forcing Alisson into a full-stretch save with virtually the last action of the match.

The final whistle brought relief rather than celebration for Liverpool, who climb to fifth despite concerns over their ability to manage games when ahead and the injury to Isak. For Tottenham, the defeat extends a difficult home run and sets an unwanted milestone, marking their 11th league loss of the calendar year, even as their supporters acknowledged the spirit shown in adversity.

Wolves 0-2 Brentford: Lewis-Potter double deepens Wolves misery as losing run hits ten

Brentford extended Wolves’ torrid start to the season as two second-half goals from Keane Lewis-Potter sealed a deserved 2-0 win at Molineux and condemned the hosts to a 10th consecutive Premier League defeat.

The opening 45 minutes offered little in the way of quality or incision, with Wolves goalkeeper José Sá – recalled to the starting line-up – producing the only notable moment by denying Lewis-Potter’s low effort. That solitary save accounted for the first half’s only shot on target.

After the interval, Brentford raised the tempo and began to impose themselves. Kevin Schade twice tested Sá early in the second period before the breakthrough finally arrived. A hopeful forward pass from Vitaly Janelt caused panic in the Wolves back line, Ladislav Krejci misjudging the flight of the ball and allowing Lewis-Potter time and space to drive into the area and finish decisively.

The same player doubled the advantage soon after, reacting quickest to another delivery into the box and volleying home with his left foot to put the outcome beyond doubt.

As frustration boiled over inside Molineux, chants from the home crowd reflected growing discontent. Even a late opportunity from the penalty spot failed to lift the gloom, with Jørgen Strand Larsen’s effort comfortably saved after Caoimhín Kelleher was penalised for a foul on Matt Doherty.

The result leaves Wolves rooted to the bottom of the table with just two points from 17 matches. Rob Edwards has now overseen six defeats since taking charge, while Wolves’ overall losing streak continues to lengthen. Brentford, by contrast, move up to 12th and away from immediate danger.

Lewis-Potter’s clinical display proved the difference on an afternoon where Brentford waited patiently for errors and punished them. Wolves, meanwhile, were left searching for answers once again as their difficult season shows no sign of easing.

Man City 3-0 West Ham: Haaland clinical again as champions deepen Hammers’ relegation worries

Manchester City delivered a ruthless reminder of their title credentials with a straightforward 3-0 victory over West Ham, compounding a miserable campaign for Nuno Espirito Santo’s struggling side. The defeat ensures the Hammers will spend Christmas inside the relegation zone, an unwanted milestone in a season that continues to unravel.

City were in control from the outset and made that dominance count when Erling Haaland finished confidently from Phil Foden’s delivery to give the hosts an early advantage. The champions moved further ahead before the break as Tijjani Reijnders capped a slick move, leaving West Ham chasing shadows and City briefly leapfrogging Arsenal at the summit, pending the Gunners’ later fixture.

West Ham did threaten to make a contest of it after the interval, carving out several openings that might have changed the mood inside the Etihad. Those chances, however, went begging, and City made them pay. Haaland struck again to seal the points, registering his 19th goal of the campaign and underlining his remarkable efficiency in front of goal.

Despite seeing little of the ball, the Norwegian forward once more shaped the outcome decisively. He operated almost exclusively in dangerous areas, turning minimal involvement into maximum impact, and could even afford to pass up a late opportunity for a hat-trick on an otherwise comfortable afternoon.

For West Ham, there were fleeting signs of improvement after the break, but a lack of cutting edge meant any hope of a response quickly faded. A late save from Gianluigi Donnarumma, denying Crysencio Summerville with an unorthodox block, summed up a day where small moments still refused to fall their way.

City’s victory keeps them firmly in the title hunt, while West Ham’s problems deepen. Ten league defeats before Christmas leave Espirito Santo facing a daunting task to revive belief and momentum in the weeks ahead, with the gap to safety already beginning to feel significant.

Newcastle 2–2 Chelsea: Woltemade brace eclipsed as Chelsea rally back amid heated VAR debate

Chelsea showed resilience and character to overturn a two-goal deficit and claim a 2–2 draw at St James’ Park, a result that left Newcastle frustrated and still debating a major VAR decision that went against them.

The Magpies appeared on course for a much-needed victory after Nick Woltemade struck twice in the opening 20 minutes, producing his first double in a Newcastle shirt. But a spirited second-half response from Chelsea, combined with a controversial non-penalty call, swung the mood of the afternoon and allowed the visitors to escape with a point.

Newcastle made the perfect start. After just four minutes, slick build-up play involving Jacob Murphy exposed Chelsea’s back line and Woltemade reacted quickest to punish a defensive lapse, firing the hosts into an early lead. The German forward doubled the advantage before the midway point of the first half, steering home from close range after Anthony Gordon’s driving run and cross from the left. The goal was eventually allowed to stand despite a lengthy VAR delay caused by technical issues.

At that stage, Newcastle were in control and Chelsea were struggling to gain any foothold in the contest. The visitors offered little attacking threat before the break and failed to register a single shot on target, with the home side looking comfortable despite seeing their own attacking momentum fade late in the half.

The match turned on a moment of quality just before the interval. Reece James stepped up to take a free-kick from long range and bent a sublime effort beyond Aaron Ramsdale, off the inside of the post, to give Chelsea an unexpected lifeline. From that moment on, the energy shifted.

Newcastle believed they should have restored their two-goal cushion early in the second half when Anthony Gordon was sent sprawling in the box under pressure from Trevoh Chalobah. The referee waved play on and VAR declined to intervene, judging the challenge to be a case of shielding rather than a foul. The decision infuriated the home side and proved a pivotal moment in the contest.

Chelsea grew in confidence and began to assert themselves. Their equaliser arrived midway through the second half, originating from an unlikely source. A long clearance from goalkeeper Robert Sánchez was collected by João Pedro, who spun away from his marker, benefited from a defensive slip, and calmly slid the ball under Ramsdale to level the score.

Newcastle, who failed to hit the target after the half-hour mark, could not regain their earlier intensity. They did have a late opportunity through Harvey Barnes, but it was Chelsea who finished the game on top, pushing for a winner and creating several promising openings.

The draw leaves Chelsea sitting fourth in the Premier League and caps a positive run of results during a week that included domestic cup progress. Newcastle, meanwhile, climb to 11th but are left lamenting both missed opportunities and a refereeing call that may have denied them all three points.

Eddie Howe was clear in his post-match assessment, insisting the challenge on Gordon would have been penalised anywhere else on the pitch and expressing disappointment that VAR did not step in. Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca, by contrast, felt the balance of the game justified the outcome, arguing his side dominated the second half and created enough chances to even go on and win it.

After a flat opening period, Chelsea’s response after the break underlined their growing resilience, while Newcastle were left to reflect on a match that promised much early on but ultimately slipped from their grasp.